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Higher User Taxes Would Be Bad Economics Joseph Farrell, President American Waterways Operators Our nation's economic climate is, to a great degree dependent upon its national transportation system which serves as a vital link in the chain of production, distri- bution and sale of goods in both domestic and export trade. In or- der to ensure that this vital sys- tem continues to accomplish its mission, national transportation policy must recognize each mode of transportation as an integral cog in the success of the entire enterprise. Our domestic transportation system today should exist as a bal- anced system. No mode of trans- port should reign supreme: all forms—rail, water, motor, air— have important roles to play. No single one of those transportation modes can meet the needs of all consumers or shippers. The continued competition be- tween them can only benefit the economic needs of the nation as a whole. So our national transporta- tion policy must promote that competition above all else. Unfor- tunately, the current economic, regulatory and legislative envi- ronment instead tends to diminish competition among the modes where that competition should be natural and unfettered. We in the barge and towing in- (continued on page 56) Joseph Farrell August 1,1983
